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Advice of Scholars - ISLAM CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT ÎMÂN

It is fard to learn and know the tenets of îmân, and the various fards and harâms. Thirty-three fards are well known. Four of them are basic; to perform namâz, to fast, to give zakât, and to perform hadj (pilgrimage). These four fards together with îmân are the basis of Islam. He who has îmân and who worships, that is, he who carries out these four fards is called a Muslim or Muslimân. He who carries out all four of them and abstains from the harâm is a complete Muslim. If one of these is defective or nonexistent, his state of being a Muslim will also be defective. He who does not carry out any of them may be a Mu’min (believer), but he is not a true Muslim.

Though such an îmân protects one in this world only, it is difficult to transmigrate to the Hereafter in possession of this kind of îmân. Îmân is like a candle. Ahkâm-i İslâmiyya is like the lantern, the glass globe around the burning candle. The candle and the lantern which contains it represent Islam and Dîn-i Islam. The candle without the lantern will go out quickly. Islam cannot exist without îmân. Therefore, where there is no Islam, there is no îmân, either.